It
is believed that every Braahmanan family has descended from one ancestral
Maharshi (great seer or sage) or the other, in whose name his Gothram is
attached. There are different versions in the Smrthis as to the number
of Gothrams - 7, 8, 10, and so on, upto 48. "Manusmrthi" quotes 8, while
"Dharma Pradeepam" speakes of 48. The famous "Dasagothrams" (ten Gothrams)
are :

1. Bhaaradwaajam,2. Kausikam,3. Vaatsam,4. Kaundinyam,

5. Kaasyapam,6. Vaasishttham,7. Jaamadagnyam,

8. Vaiswaamithram,9. Gauthamam, and10. Aathreyam.

"Vishnu
Bhaagavatham" has reference to the following set of seven sages (Saptharshis)
:

1. Mareechi,2. Athri,3. Angirass,

4. Pulasthyan,5. Pulahan,

6. Krathu, and7. Vasishtthan.

Several
among the Saptharshis referred to in "Manusmrthi" as Swayambhuva Manu's
progeny and ancestors are said to be creators of Rigveda Sookthams. The
Saptharshis of the present Vaivaswatha Manwantharam are :

1. Vasishtthan,2. Kaasyapan,3. Athri,

4. Jamadagni,5. Gauthaman,

6. Viswaamithran, and7. Bharadwaajan.

The
Chiranjeevis (those who live eternally) who are said to have become eligible
to be the next set of Saptharshis are :

1. Deepthimaan,2. Gaalavan,3. Parasuraman,

4. Kripan,5. Dronan,

6. Vyaaghan, and7. Rishyasrngan.

PRAVARAM

Pravarams
are sub-classes attached to each Gothram (Click here for article: About Namboothiris). The word literally means renowned,
the best, the greatest, etc. Every Gothram has three or five Pravara-Purushans
(great persons) whose names are attached to the Gothram thus defining the
Pravaram. Therefore, every Braahmanan, just as he has a Gothram, has a
specific Pravaram too.

The
performer of certain rituals like Ishti and Yaagam has to know which Pravaram
he belongs to, since he has to disclose it while doing them. Some Pakazhiyan
(Aaswalaayanan) families have to say their Pravaram while performing Udakakriya.

GOTHRAM
- PRAVARAM - CHARANAM : OCCASIONS FOR CHANGE

There
are circumstances under which a Namboothiri family's Gothram, Pravaram
and Charanam are to be changed. The occasions may be (1) "Dathu" (adoption),
(2) "Penkoda"/ "Veli" (marriage) or (3) "Sarvaswa Daanam Vettirikkal" or
"Vettirikkal".

(1)

"Dathu"
:
Adoption of a boy (Unni) or an adult (Namboothiri) by a family is done
only when all the lines (Thaavazhi) (branches) of the family cease to have
a fertile male and threat of extinction prevails. It is recognised only
through a "Pathu Kayyu Dathu" (ten hands - the boy's and the two original
and the two adopting parents). After adoption, the boy and all his descendants
must follow a combination (or mixture) of the two Gothrams and Pravarams
of the previous and new families, if any of these are different. Those
alive in the family at the time of adoption, retain theirs. If later, yet
another adoption takes place in this family, they take on a mixture of
the two, if different, and so on. Adopting family loses their earlier duties,
powers as well as Charanam and accepts those of the boy's original family.

(2)

"Penkoda"
/ "Veli" : The "Udakapoorvam" part of Namboothiri marriage
ritual releases the bride from her father's Gothram,
Pravaram and Charanam. The later portion, "Paanigrahanam", of the
ritual attaches her to the groom's Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam for the
rest of her life.

(3)

"Sarvaswa
- Daanam Vettirikkal" or just "Vettirikkal" :
When all branches (Thaavazhi) of a family cease to have a fertile
male, instead of "Dathu", a girl of the family can be given
in marriage to a Namboothiri of another family, then receive both of
them to the girl's house, and transfer the
entire property and assets to him. The wife and
their descendants then
adopt her husband's
Gothram, Prvaram and Charanam (if different),
and other prescribed duties. The other living members of the
family continue to keep their own Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam.

Some
such families now do not know their original Gothram, Pravaram and Charanam,
having been a long time after the event and the death of the then living
members.

Many
mistakenly believe that Viswaamithra Gothram has no Pravaram. Even Namboothirs
of this Gothram, have Pravarams such as Kaathyolkilam and Madhuchhandass.
Inter-marriage between different Pravarams is not permitted within Viswaamithra
Gothram and therefore, many among this Gothram have forgotten their Pravaram.
Among Namboothiris, in Kaasyapa Gothram, there is only one Pravaram, "Naidhruvam
Aavatsaaram". Inter-marriage is permitted within Aangirasa Gothram if Pravarams
are different.